UP cop saves lives of 4 drowning teens at Kheri canal

Pilibhit: Ravindra Sonkar, a station house officer (SHO) in UP, was getting ready for lunch with his colleagues at Pasgawan police station in Kheri district when he received an SOS at 1pm on Monday from a nearby canal. Leaving whatever they had on hand, Sonkar and his colleagues rushed to the spot where five friends -- all teens from the same village -- who were about to take a dip had been swept away by the canal's current. Four of them were rescued but the fifth died.
Though a large crowd of villagers had gathered near the feeder canal -- emerging out of Sharda river -- they were hesitant to take the plunge and risk their lives. Without thinking twice, Sonkar threw himself into the water and swam towards the teenagers who were clinging on to each other. Encouraged by the SHO's courage, the other cops got into the act and threw a long rope into the water to pull out the teenagers one by one -- some of them in a semi-conscious state.
Veeru Pasi (18), Saroj Kumar (14), Ravi Pasi (18) and Sachin Raidas (16) were pulled out while Dharmendra Rathor (18) got swept away and was later declared dead by doctors.
Locals said the five friends left home in Khargapur village, around 3 km from the canal, for a bath. All of a sudden, Dharmendra slipped and in a bid to save him, his four friends got trapped in deep water.
The survivors' parents dedicated their sons' "second life" to Sonkar, while SP (Kheri) Sankalp Sharma said that he would recommend the SHO's name for the national bravery award.
Sonkar told TOI on Tuesday: "Divers and rescue teams were about to reach. The water was over 12 feet deep. I swam in rivers before. So, I knew the river current would soon take them away and I had very little time to react. It was a call of duty."
Pilibhit: Ravindra Sonkar, a station house officer (SHO) in UP, was getting ready for lunch with his colleagues at Pasgawan police station in Kheri district when he received an SOS at 1pm on Monday from a nearby canal. Leaving whatever they had on hand, Sonkar and his colleagues rushed to the spot where five friends -- all teens from the same village -- who were about to take a dip had been swept away by the canal's current. Four of them were rescued but the fifth died.
Though a large crowd of villagers had gathered near the feeder canal -- emerging out of Sharda river -- they were hesitant to take the plunge and risk their lives. Without thinking twice, Sonkar threw himself into the water and swam towards the teenagers who were clinging on to each other. Encouraged by the SHO's courage, the other cops got into the act and threw a long rope into the water to pull out the teenagers one by one -- some of them in a semi-conscious state.
Veeru Pasi (18), Saroj Kumar (14), Ravi Pasi (18) and Sachin Raidas (16) were pulled out while Dharmendra Rathor (18) got swept away and was later declared dead by doctors.
Locals said the five friends left home in Khargapur village, around 3 km from the canal, for a bath. All of a sudden, Dharmendra slipped and in a bid to save him, his four friends got trapped in deep water.
The survivors' parents dedicated their sons' "second life" to Sonkar, while SP (Kheri) Sankalp Sharma said that he would recommend the SHO's name for the national bravery award.
Sonkar told TOI on Tuesday: "Divers and rescue teams were about to reach. The water was over 12 feet deep. I swam in rivers before. So, I knew the river current would soon take them away and I had very little time to react. It was a call of duty."